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Friday, October 27, 2023
Windham Town Council approves hire of new Public Works Director with Fortier retirement
A familiar face will be returning to serve the Town of Windham as Jon Earle has been hired as the town’s new Public Works Director, succeeding Doug Fortier, who is retiring in early November.
“Jon worked for the town for a little over two years as Town Engineer,” said Phyllis Moss, the town’s Human Resources Director in a memo to the council. “During that time, I had the opportunity to spend time with Jon and I feel confident he will be successful in the role of Public Works Director. My interaction with him demonstrated that he has the real passion for public works and is a clear communicator, ethical, analytical, and has excellent interpersonal skills. The position of Director of Public Works can be challenging, but I believe he has the background, skills, experience, and personal attributes needed for the position. We would be privileged to have him as part of our team.”
He graduated from the University of Maine with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering and has completed graduate coursework at the University of Southern Maine in Public Administration. Earle currently serves as the Supervisor of Engineering Services for the Maine Water Company and is responsible for capital project delivery and oversight in 12 public water systems serving more than 32,000 customers across the state. Earle also obtained a graduate certificate in Public Management from the Muskie School of Public Service.
His work history includes more than 22 years of progressively responsible public and private sector experience, including nine years in management roles. During his professional career, Earle has been responsible for budget management, personnel hiring and development, in both union and non-union environments. He is also a member his local planning board and is currently a board member of the Maine Society of Professional Engineers.
Earle will be responsible for Highway Maintenance, which includes winter plowing as well as maintaining all town roads, ditches, shoulders, drainage and other infrastructures; vehicle maintenance, which includes maintenance of all equipment from excavators and backhoes down to chain saws and hand compactors, as well as the police and town office vehicles; and Buildings & Grounds, which includes care of over 20 town cemeteries, nine municipal buildings, and two intersections. His duties will include budgeting, seeking grant money for roads, working on capital equipment replacement plans, getting bids for anything from equipment purchase to buying winter sand and salt. Another part of his job is hiring when there are vacancies.
Fortier has served as Windham’s Public Works Director for the past 20 years and has been a member of the town’s Public Works Department for 31 years overall. He was first hired in 1992 as a member of the grounds crew but was almost immediately moved into a truck driver position. In 1999, he was promoted to Equipment Operator where he gained valuable supervisory experience. In 2001, Fortier was promoted to the role of Deputy Public Works Director and then appointed as the town’s Director of Public Works in May 2004.
Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts said Fortier will be missed and what he’s done through the years to help the town is remarkable.
Tibbetts said that Fortier oversaw the construction of the $9.3-million Shared Maintenance Facility which was completed in the fall of 2019 under budget; worked with Gorrill Palmer on the design and bidding and construction for all phases of the Brand Road reconstruction and the Hillcrest Drainage project renewing 28 infiltration bed style catch basins; worked with Gorrill Palmer on the design to reconstruct the Route 302 shoulders to create the center turn lane north of the Anglers Road intersection for 7,200 feet and assisted in securing a contractor for the $1.5 million dollar project; secured an additional $50,000 from the Maine Department of Transportation to help with the expense on the Route 302 turn lane; worked with Gorrill Palmer on the design for reconstruction and pedestrian enhancements for Depot Street; and worked with the town engineer in securing a Maine DOT MPI grant of up to $625,000 for the Route 302 North smart signal and intersection improvements, among many projects he has been involved with.
“These accomplishments only touch the surface,” Tibbetts said. “Doug has taken an active role in union negotiations, interviewed, and hired candidates for positions throughout Public Works, provided learning opportunities and encouragement to employees, and let's not forget Merry Christmas Trees, his business located here in Windham. Speaking for the entire town, I would like to thank Doug publicly for his years of dedication and wish him a very merry retirement.” <
Friday, August 25, 2023
Recall ordinance measures provoke differing opinions in Windham
The debate over recalling elected municipal officials before their term is completed and removing them from office has arrived in Windham and two tracks have emerged as to how to best establish procedures for adding this to the town charter. Earlier this summer, a citizen’s group launched a petition drive to create a recall ordinance and collected enough signatures of registered voters to place a referendum on the ballot in town this fall. The Windham Town Council also developed a recall ordinance and will vote to implement it at a council meeting on Tuesday night.
“Having a recall ordinance makes sense and provides a check and balance approach to local government,” said Barry Tibbetts, Windham Town Manager. “Ordinances with the least amount of uncertainty and with greatest clarity provide the least costly measures of implementation. I personally have always felt simple government, ordinances, rules etc., whenever possible are the best, this is not easy to achieve. The citizen petition did a good job in bringing this forward so that is a win for all, as with any initiative getting the “T’s” crossed and “I’s” dotted can be challenging.”
Kristen Day of Windham, who is part of the citizen’s group leading the petition drive for the recall ordinance referendum, says that there is nothing questionable or controversial about their proposal from a civic perspective.
“Ours is a non-partisan citizen’s initiative, and as such, we are proposing this language which we believe is in the best interest of every voting resident of Windham,” Day said. “The town has the opportunity to decide the outcome by doing their civic duty. And should it pass, any citizens can follow the process outlined in our Town Charter, as we have, to propose amendments to the ordinance.”
Under the terms of the citizen petition, any elected official may be recalled and removed from office by the qualified voters of the town. According to the petition, recall is intended to be used when, in the opinion of the number of voters hereinafter specified, an elected official, acting as such, has caused a loss of confidence in that official’s judgment or ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the office.
The citizen’s group petition also specifies that any 25 qualified voters of the town may file with the Windham Town Clerk an affidavit containing the name of the official sought to be recalled and a statement of specific facts to support the grounds of recall. The Town Clerk would then send a copy of the affidavit to the official targeted for recall to the Windham Town Council. A petition would then be issued and must be returned within 30 days signed by registered voters of the town equal to at least 10 percent of the number of votes cast in the town during the last election for governor, but no less than 100 voters.
The Town Clerk would allow five days for the filing of legal challenges to the signatures on the petition. If no such challenges are filed, the Town Clerk would certify and submit the petition to the Town Council. At that point, the Town Council would give written notice to the official named in the recall and, if the official sought to be removed does not resign within five days, councilors would order an election to be held on a day fixed by them not less than 50 nor more than 60 days after the date of the Town Clerk’s certificate that a sufficient petition was filed.
The citizen’s petition also specifies that if any other town election is set to occur within 75 days after the date of said the Town Clerk’s certificate, the Town Council may, at its discretion, postpone the holding of the recall election to the date of such other election. If a vacancy occurs in the office after a recall election has been so ordered, the election shall nevertheless proceed as in this section provided. If the official sought to be recalled so requests, the WindhamTown Council shall make provisions for a public hearing on the matter, said hearing to take place not less than seven days prior to said election.
Petition details also ask that any official being recalled shall not be a candidate in the recall election. The nomination of candidates, the publication of the warrant for recall election, and the conduct of the same shall be in accordance with the provisions of the laws of the State of Maine relating to elections. Nomination petitions for candidates at the recall election shall be filed with the Town Clerk within 15 days after the date of the filing of the certificate of the Town Clerk as to the sufficiency of the recall petition.
Terms in the petition also require that the incumbent official shall continue to perform the duties of the office until the results of the recall election are certified. If the official is not recalled by voters, the official shall continue in office for the remainder of the unexpired term, subject to subsequent recall. However, if a subject is recalled by voters, the official would be removed upon the certification of the election results. In the event the recall petition is passed, the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes shall be deemed elected for the balance of the term of the official recalled.
The citizen recall measure also mandates that no recall petition shall be filed against an official with fewer than 60 days of term remaining or within three months after such official assumed office, nor, in the case of an official subjected to recall election and not removed thereby, until at least three months after that election. It also requires that no person who has been recalled from office or who has resigned from office while recall proceedings are pending shall be appointed to any town office or town board, commission, or committee within two years after such removal by recall.
If the referendum is approved by voters in November, it would replace all prior Town of Windham recall ordinances.
The language in the Windham Town Council’s proposed ordinance is more specific regarding certain provisions.
Under grounds for recall, elected town officials serving as a Town Councilor or a member of the Regional School Unit 14 Board of Directors elected by Windham voters could be recalled when, in the opinion of the number of voters specified an elected official has caused, through actions while in elected office, a loss of confidence in the official’s judgment or ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the office.
The council’s proposed ordinance differs from the citizen’s petition in that it requires 75 qualified voters of the town to file with the Town Clerk an affidavit containing the name of the official sought to be recalled for actions in office, and a statement of specific facts of up to 200 words to support the grounds of the recall. The Town Clerk would then transmit a copy of the affidavit to the official who is the subject of the affidavit and to the Windham Town Council. The subject of the affidavit may submit a rebuttal statement within four business days of the Town Clerk’s transmission of the affidavit. Within five business days after the date of the filing of the affidavit, the Town Clerk would deliver to the 75 voters a sufficient number of copies of petition blanks for the requested recall.
The recall petition would have to be returned and filed with the Town Clerk within 30 days after issuance of the petition. Once returned, the Town Clerk would be required to determine that at least 15 percent of the number of participating voters in the last preceding gubernatorial election signed the petition. Once that is done, the Town Clerk would then deliver the petition to the Registrar of Voters, and the Registrar of Voters would have 10 business days to certify the number of signatures of qualified voters.
If the petition shall be certified to be sufficient by the Town Clerk and the Registrar of Voters, the Town Clerk shall allow five business days for the filing of legal challenges to the signatures on the petition. If no such challenges are filed, the Town Clerk would then certify and submit the petition to the Town Council. The Town Council would give written notice to the target of the recall and, if the official sought to be removed does not resign within five days, they would order an election to be held on a day fixed by them not less than 50 nor more than 60 days after the date of the Town Clerk’s certificate that a sufficient petition is filed.
Should any other town election occur within 90 days after the date of the certificate, the Town Council could, at its discretion, postpone the holding of the recall election to the date of such other elections. If a vacancy occurs in said office after a recall election has been so ordered, the election shall nevertheless proceed and if the official sought to be recalled so requests, the Town Council shall make provisions for a public hearing on the matter, said hearing to take place not less than seven days prior to such election.
The council’s proposed ordinance also mandates that if a member of the Town Council is recalled, any such vacancy shall be filled in accordance with Article II, Section 2.D of the Town Charter. If a member of the Regional School Unit Board is recalled, the Town Council shall select an interim director for the town to serve until the next annual municipal election. An election shall be held at the next municipal election to elect a director to fill the vacancy.
An incumbent official shall continue to perform the duties of the office under the council’s proposal until the results of the recall election are certified. If not recalled, the official shall continue in office for the remainder of the unexpired term, subject to subsequent recall. If recalled in the recall election, the official shall be removed upon the certification of the election results.
Terms of the town council’s ordinance require that no recall petition shall be filed against an official with fewer than 60 days of a term remaining or within six months after such official assumes office, nor, in the case of an official subjected to recall election and not removed until at least six months after that election.
The councilors’ ordinance specifies that the total number of votes to recall an elected official shall be no less than 25 percent of participating voters of the last preceding gubernatorial election. If the recall fails to meet this total, then the elected official shall not be recalled from office, regardless of the result of the vote on the recall. When a recall fails, the official shall not be subject to another recall petition until at least six months after the failed vote.
Tibbetts said that if the council votes on Tuesday evening to enact its recall ordinance, it would take effect in 30 days or on Sept. 29.
“The citizen petition if voted in the affirmative would take effect in November and replace the council’s action but those sections where the citizen petition is in conflict would be eliminated by a council vote,” Tibbetts said. “Since the citizen petition is an ordinance, the Windham Town Council can amend it at any time. Those amendments most likely would bring it back to the existing council ordinance tentatively approved on Aug. 29.”
If a charter amendment by the council is approved, it would override all the ordinances, replacing them, and according to Tibbetts that language is identical to the council ordinance.
“Another question relates to when this goes to a vote, that by charter states the council has 30 days to set the date, hence the November vote,” Tibbetts said. “The charter amendment would not allow any modifications unless 30 percent of participating voters in the last gubernatorial election approved of them if those changes were sought it could be by Council initiative or citizen initiative.”
Councilors also will vote Tuesday night to protect the integrity of the Windham Town Clerk position from partisanship by changing it from an elected position to an appointment. Linda Morrell has served as Windham Town Clerk for the past 28 years. <
Friday, May 26, 2023
Windham EMT receives prestigious Red Cross honor
Rob Parritt of Windham shares an undeniable bond with Windham Fire Rescue Emergency Medical Technician Dustin Andrews and because of it, Parritt is alive today.
Parritt says that he was on his way to work that night and remembers very little of that entire day. But what happened to him was he suffered cardiac arrest and passed out, crashing his vehicle.
When Andrews realized what had happened, he radioed for assistance and when approaching the crash scene, he discovered that Parritt was turning different colors inside the vehicle. He realized that Parritt was not breathing and required immediate medical attention. With the help of the bystander, Andrews broke out a window in the vehicle and the two of them pulled Parritt out. Andrews initiated CPR and continued it for about eight to 10 minutes before paramedics arrived at the site to take over and transport Parritt to the hospital.
Because of his training, bravery, ability to perform CPR and quick thinking, Parritt survived the incident and was taken to the hospital, where he spent about a week recovering from the harrowing ordeal. Hospital doctors implanted a defibrillator to monitor his heart rate and put a pacemaker in his chest to stabilize his heartbeat to keep it from beating too slowly and going again into cardiac arrest.
“I got to meet Dustin about two weeks later,” Parritt said. “I know how lucky I am to be here and how thankful I am that Dustin was there that night.”
Parritt is married with three children and eight grandchildren and attended the Windham Town Council meeting on Tuesday night where Andrews was presented with a Red Cross Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action for his lifesaving efforts by Steve Thomas, Executive Director of the Red Cross of Southern Maine.
Thomas pointed out that a medical emergency can happen at any time and that quick action by a bystander can be the difference sometimes between life and death. He said that performing CPR during the first few minutes of cardiac arrest can double or even triple someone’s likelihood of survival.
In typical situations like this, Thomas said that any one of us could find ourselves as a victim, and any one of us could find ourselves as a bystander.
“Thanks to his training and fortitude, Dustin was able to be the bystander we all hope comes to our aid, and the bystander we should all aspire to be,” Thomas said. “Dustin succeeded in fulfilling the mission of the American Red Cross, to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies. He saved a life, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and his neighbor. May we all possess Dustin’s strength, courage, and lifesaving skills if ever they are needed.”
According to Thomas, it was his great privilege to present Andrews with a lifesaving award.
“His courage, bravery and training are something that we all can aspire to,” Thomas said. “You never know when you may also need to save a life. Dustin’s quick thinking, his bravery and his CPR skills are the reason Rob is with us at this ceremony tonight.”
Four months later, Parritt said he is feeling much better now and that he just can’t say enough good things about Andrews and all the Windham Fire and Rescue paramedics and public safety personnel who came to his rescue that night.
“These are simple outstanding young people,” he said. “And in Dustin’s case, I cannot ever thank him enough. “Not everybody would have stopped to help that night. He did.”
Andrews said that he was humbled to receive the award from the Red Cross and that it was presented with many of Parritt’s family in attendance at the council meeting.
“I’m happy he’s here and happy he made it,” Andrews said. “When you get right down to it, lifesaving is the reason why we do this.” <
Friday, March 24, 2023
Windham third grader’s fundraiser makes big difference for community
Windham third-grader Eva Doughty really likes helping people. When the Windham Clothes Closet and Food Pantry visited her class, she became inspired. She wanted to help those in need have food and clothes during the cold winter. She decided to organize a fundraiser and created her own Polar Dip event at Sebago Lake on Tuesday, Jan. 24 where about 25 people attended.
Through determination and persistence, Doughty was able to raise more than $2,200 for the Windham Clothes Closet and Food Pantry at her Polar Dip.
On Tuesday, March 21 during a Windham Town Council meeting, she presented a check to Collette Gagnon, Windham Social Services Administrative Assistant and operator of the Windham Clothes Closet, and Windham’s General Assistance Manager Rene Daniel.
“I decided to do the Polar Dip because I was always curious what it would feel like to jump into the ice-cold water in the winter,” said Doughty. “I thought it was crazy enough that people would donate to me for doing it.”
In creating the event, she distributed flyers around her neighborhood and Doughty and her family also created a flier that was posted to Facebook from which she received additional donations from her friends and family.
Eva’s parents, Chris and Sara Doughty, said it was really great to know that their community was so willing to help other families and support the efforts of their daughter to help those experiencing tough times.
Her parents say that they are very proud of Eva and that she took the initiative to come up with the concept and idea for the Polar Dip and followed through to make an impact in the community. They say she is a thoughtful and generous person with a very kind heart.
All the money she raised was donated directly to the Windham Clothes Closet and Food Pantry and will benefit Windham residents in need.
Gagnon said she gets a lot of requests for items such as milk and eggs and the money raised through the Polar Dip fundraiser will make it easier for the Windham Clothes Closet and Food Pantry to provide these necessities as needed.
“I am totally amazed by the generosity of Eva Doughty wanting to organize this fundraiser,” she said. “She’s a wonderful citizen and a great leader. For a third grader to think of and execute a fundraiser like this makes her ahead of her years.”
Windham Town Councilor Jarrod Maxfield agrees.
“It important to recognize Eva and the other kids because they deserve it for stepping up and doing a fairly difficult thing for such a great cause,” Maxfield said. “A third grader inspired a small group to do a big thing which is an example to all of us in town of how to step up and help your community because that’s what it’s all about.”
Eva Doughty said she’s pleased that people donated to her fundraiser and helped it to become a success.
“I felt really happy that my Polar Dip could help less fortunate families have meals and clothes for the winter that they might not have had otherwise,” she said. “I want to help people the same way every year and I want to get the event bigger and bigger so I can help even more people.” <
Friday, January 20, 2023
Windham restructures bonds to save town $45,000
Acting upon advice from a bonding agent, members of the Windham Town Council have voted unanimously to restructure some existing bonds which will save the town $45,000 by the time the bonds are eventually paid off.
The Windham Town Council has voted to restructure a general obligation bond from 2003 to realize savings of $45,000 for the town. PHOTO BY KEITH MANK |
The original bond of $36,333 million was approved by town councilors in 2003 and was used to pay construction costs for a new addition and renovation project at Windham High School. That general obligation bond was refinanced by the town in 2011 for the purpose of realizing debt service savings to the town at that time.
“When we were going through our current bond approvals, our bonding agent looked at it and we have just two payments left on that bond,” Tibbetts said. “But in refinancing it now, the net effect to us is that we can save $45,000 on this bond.”
The refinanced bond amounts to a total of $3,025 million, according to Moors & Cabot, Inc., the town’s municipal advisor for the issuance of the bond, and an investor has been secured for the restructured bonds.
Municipal bonds are a type of debt security issued by local, county, and state governments. They are commonly offered to pay for capital expenditures such as highway construction or for bridges, or schools. The bonds act like loans, with bondholders becoming creditors of the municipality.
In exchange for the borrowed capital, bondholders and investors are promised interest on the principal balance by being repaid by the municipality by the time of the bond’s maturity date. The bonds are often exempt from most federal and state taxes, which makes them attractive as an investment to those in higher income tax brackets.
Types of municipal bonds include general government obligation and revenue bonds. In Windham’s
case, these specific general obligation bonds were issued by a governmental entity and were not backed by revenue from a specific project, such as from a toll road. Some of Windham’s general obligation bonds are backed by dedicated property taxes, while others are payable from the town’s general funds.
Typically, the interest rate of most municipal bonds is paid at a fixed rate and this rate doesn't change over the life of the bond. However, the underlying price of a particular bond will fluctuate in the secondary market due to market conditions and changes in interest rates and interest rate expectations are generally the primary factors involved in municipal bond secondary market prices.
When interest rates fall, newly issued bonds will pay a lower yield than existing issues, which makes the older bonds more attractive. Investors who want the higher yield may be willing to pay more to get it, and a town such as Windham may weigh refinancing a bond to yield savings, such as for this bond.
All bonds must be approved by the Windham Town Council, and some are voted upon by residents during Windham’s Annual Town Meeting every June.
Windham previously issued $19,045 million in advance refunding general obligations bonds on Dec. 15, 2011, as authorized by the Windham Town Council to refinance the debt owed on the 2003 bonds.
This is fantastic,” said Windham Town Council Chair Mark Morrison. “If we can save $45,000, it’s a no brainer.”
Following a brief discussion, Windham town councilors voted unanimously to approve restructuring the bonds as proposed by the bonding agent to realize the savings.
The restructured bond is expected to be paid in full by Nov. 1, 2033. <
Friday, January 6, 2023
Town hopes sidewalk improvements spur South Windham growth
The revitalization of South Windham is yet another step closer after members of the Windham Town council have endorsed submission of an application for Community Development Block Grant funds to move forward with a concept planning study for sidewalk reconstruction in the area.
Town Manager Barry Tibbetts told councilors that the proposed sidewalk improvements are intended to improve safety for pedestrians in South Windham and boost economic growth along Main Street there.
According to Tibbetts, the project would rebuild some 1,250 feet of existing sidewalk along the east side of Main Street from the Blue Seal store near the Mountain Division Trail crossing to Depot Street in the center of South Windham Village.
He said other planned improvements would replace old and failing retaining walls along the 1,250-foot section of rebuilt sidewalk on the east side of Main Street and to install pedestrian lighting along that same 1,250-foot section of rebuilt sidewalk.
During last June’s Annual Town Meeting, Windham voters authorized a $275,000 bond for creation of a sidewalk from Blue Seal Feed on Gray Road to Depot Street in South Windham sometime in 2024 or 2025.
The new sidewalk coincides with a project that was completed last fall that repaved the parking lot at the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District at 35 Main St. in South Windham which shares a driveway with the town’s South Windham Fire Station. Reconfiguring the parking lot was a collaborative effort between Cumberland County, the Soil and Water Conservation District and the Town of Windham.
The town approached the Soil and Water Conservation District several years ago with the idea that a multi-use parking lot could benefit all interests in South Windham. Tenants of the Soil and Water Conservation District building, hikers using nearby trails, individuals using nearby businesses, and the town itself have benefitted from the updated parking lot.
“Back when we first looked at this, we originally looked at entrance issues in that area,” Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts said. “We thought we could work a partnership short-term, to fix the entrance problems and repave the driveway for parking but it turned out to be so much more.”
Windham councilors unanimously voted in December 2020 to sell the old vacant South Windham Fire Station at 8 Main St. for $125,000 to Great Falls Construction of Gorham, owned by Jon and Cindy Smith. They plan to turn the property into a brewhouse and restaurant.
South Windham Village itself was once a thriving industrial and commercial location because of its access to Maine Central railroad and situated near the Presumpscot River but today the area is mostly residential and town councilors and the Windham Economic Development Corporation are seeking for ways to spur economic growth there.
Last fall, an agreement was announced to clean up and demolish the old Keddy Mill site at 7 Depot St. in South Windham under an initiative to protect human health and the environment. Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and ITT LLC, the company responsible for the 6.93-acre Keddy Mill site say that the former industrial building on the site will be razed and contaminated materials there will be removed.
In the past year, Windham and Gorham have agreed to collaborate on a master plan focused on developing a community guided vision for the villages of South Windham and Little Falls. <
Friday, December 16, 2022
Can We? Project engages students in dialogue with elected officials
About 20 Windham High School students recently participated in three separate day-long retreats called the "Can We? Project." Building up to the third retreat, students learned the skills of ‘listening to understand’ through a series of story exchanges. Then, using what they learned in the first retreat, students could practice their listening skills by discussing divisive topics at the second retreat where students chose political and social issues that they deemed essential.
Windham Town Councilor Dave Nadeau offers his thoughts after one of the Can We? Project student group presentations at Windham High School. PHOTO BY GARY HARRIMAN |
Students shared concerns from a global and local perspective ranging from various social, political, and environmental topics.
The students only had 1 ½ hours to choose from one of the issues established by the group to develop an argument. After their presentations, the elected officials were offered an opportunity to ask questions or give an opposing viewpoint to consider.
"The student’s level of courage was admirable,” Scott said. “They transformed feelings of anxiety into action and used the little time they had to prepare to create insightful presentations."
School board member and chair Kate Brix said that she was impressed with the students and the Can We? Project process, saying that it was a powerful example of the importance of student's voice.
“Student engagement is a core belief of RSU 14’s strategic plan, and the students of this project were extremely articulate and respectful as they presented their viewpoint on a topic important to them,” she said. “The students I met clearly illustrated that they care and think deeply about issues that impact all our lives. I can’t say enough about how impressed I was with them and know that the skills they learned will be put to good use beyond their high school years.”
Windham Town Council chair Mark Morrison said the project was timely and a valuable lesson in learning respectful dialogue between people with differing viewpoints.
“We saw the students apply and follow the program process with their presentations which stressed presenting respectfully, listening, and asking questions in a way that did not make the dialogue personal,” Morrison said. “I hope this program continues so the students learn the skills needed to effectively communicate so the focus is on the ideas where the pros and cons can be discussed and measured, not on the person. I hope I’m invited back to participate in another discussion.”
After the presentations, the students had an opportunity to reflect upon what they learned most.
“I realized I need to do more research about my subject,” said senior Teddy Becker.
Junior Mareena Batsungnern said participating in the Can We? Project helped develop her skills in leadership.
“It has also given me the courage and motivation to voice my beliefs to others,” she said.
Junior Griffin Moreau said the Can We? Project taught him something that many of us try to learn in an attempt at deep listening. “The thing I think that I learned the most is, ‘be comfortable with silence.’ It is something that I have struggled with all my life and have only started to realize the answer to and the Can We? project has helped with that.”
Scott said the Can We? Project was instrumental in empowering the students to truly listen to each other and discuss divisive topics with empathy and a desire to understand rather than to react.
“Participants have expressed that they feel supported, surprised, and inspired by this program and that they now have the tools and knowledge to participate in their own democracy,” she said.
The Can We? Project was developed collaboratively between the Third Thought Initiatives for Civic Engagement from Waynflete School and the Maine Policy Institute. The mission is to allow high school students the opportunity to engage in thoughtful dialogue across different perspectives.
All three retreats were held at WHS and guided by John Holdridge, the Director of the Third Thought Initiatives for Civic Engagement, and Jacob Posik, the Director of Communications from the Maine Policy Institute. The 20 students were self-selected to participate and represented a true cross-section of ages, academic foci, family experiences and interests.
Students will have the opportunity to expand their experiences with other high school students across the state who also participated in the project, taking their experiences and practice of civil conversation and dialogue to the next level. In addition, WHS teachers who participated in the retreats plan to incorporate the project as an initiative for the whole school.
A thank you goes to the following elected officials who gave the gift of listening and allowing students to practice skills of civic engagement and dialogue respectfully including Windham Town Council members Mark Morrison, Dave Nadeau, and Nick Kalogerakis, RSU 14 school board members Kate Brix, Kate Leveille, Char Jewell, and Jessica Bridges, and former State Representative Patrick Corey. <
Friday, October 14, 2022
Candidates make pitch for local votes
Voting is the expression of a community’s commitment to their neighbors and to one another and here in Windham and Raymond, that allegiance will once again be demonstrated on Tuesday, Nov. 8 when area residents head to the polls to cast their ballots in state and local races.
Plummer is a lifelong resident of Windham and a retired teacher who has served on the Windham Town Council, the Cumberland County Commission, as a Maine State Representative and in the Maine State Senate. Nangle is a former Windham Town Councilor who works as a Help Desk Technician.
Three seats in the Maine House of Representatives will also be decided by voters in the election.
For Maine House District 86, representing Raymond, Casco, Frye Island, and part of Poland, two candidates are on the ballot. Jessica Fay of Raymond, a Democrat, is a florist and an incumbent seeking re-election in a newly renumbered district. Fay is opposed by Republican Greg Foster of Raymond, a forester and business owner.
Two candidates are competing for the right to represent Windham in the newly renumbered Maine House District 106. Democrat Mark Bryant has represented this district in the past but also is term-limited for this election. Barbara Bagshaw of Windham, a Republican and an art educator and nanny, is opposed by Democrat Dana Reed of Windham, a retired U.S. Navy chaplain and a music educator.
Campaigning for election to a five-year term as a Portland Water District Trustee representing Windham and Raymond is Louise Douglas of Windham. Douglas was first elected to the Portland Water District board in 2017 and has served as the Portland Water District’s Trustees chair for the past two years.
Several RSU 14 Board of Directors seats are on the ballot in November.
Voters will choose two individuals to serve in three-year positions on the RSU 14 Board of Directors representing Windham from a field of three candidates.
Incumbent Marge Govoni of Windham, who is retired, is the former RSU 14 board chair and is seeking re-election. Govoni has served on the RSU 14 Board of Directors since 2008 and is a member of the Windham Planning Board and one of the founders of the Windham Community Garden.
Former board member Christina Small of Windham also is a candidate for the RSU 14 Board. She was first appointed to a seat on the board in 2020 to fill a vacancy and served through 2021. She is the noon monitor at Windham Primary School.
First-time candidate Caitlynn Downs of Windham is also running for one of the available RSU 14 Board of Directors seats. Downs is an office manager for State Farm Insurance and has volunteered as a Big Sister with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Organization for more than 10 years and was honored as the organization’s “Match of the Year” in 2019.
All three candidates on the ballot for Windham Town Council are unopposed.
John Henry of Windham is running for an At-Large position for town council for a three-year term. He is a civil engineer and formerly served as a member of the Windham Planning Board in 2007.
Current Windham Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield is unopposed for re-election to represent the town’s North District for a three-year term. Maxfield is a business owner who has served as a town councilor since 2016.
Nicholas Kalogerakis is unopposed for re-election to a three-year term on the council representing the South District. He is a businessman who has served on the town council since 2019. He’s also served on the town’s Long Range Planning Committee, the Windham Economic Committee, and the Windham Planning Board. <
Editor’s note: Please see candidate profiles and Q&A in this edition for State Senate and Maine House candidates from Windham and Raymond. Next week’s newspaper will include candidate profiles for RSU 14’s Board of Directors and the Windham Town Council.
Friday, March 11, 2022
Windham nixes moratorium for solar projects
After consuming much of the Windham Town Council’s attention
over the course of the past month, the idea of councilors imposing a moratorium
for solar projects was voted down by a vote of 4-3 during a lengthy town
council meeting on Tuesday evening.
At the meeting, supporters and opponents of a moratorium on solar projects were given time to share their thoughts in advance of the Windham Planning Board’s March 14 public hearing and final plan review of a Green Lantern Solar project near Linnell Road in North Windham.
The project would abut three residences on Linnell Road, and
those residents advocated for the council to impose a moratorium until
Windham’s ordinance for solar projects could be reviewed, clarified, and
updated.
The project off Linnell Road calls for a 50-foot buffer between the
project and abutting properties, fencing and the loss of some trees to create
the solar array.
Louise Densmore lives on Linnell Road and told councilors she didn’t see
how the buffer could be defined without a moratorium.
Pam Hageny, whose property abuts the project said she is not opposed to
solar projects but thinks a moratorium was proper for this circumstance.
“The destruction of plant growth within a 50-foot buffer basically
eliminates any semblance of protection the 50-foot buffer provides under the
ordinance,” she said.
Another abutter to the project, Howland Bickerstaff that he was concerned about the project and where the buffer would be.
But Green Lantern Solar developer Geoff Sparrow told the council that
the project has met all required zoning requirements mandated by the town and
clarified what he said were some misconceptions shared on social media prior to
Tuesday’s meeting.
Sparrow said that there is no road planned for inside the buffer and no
studies have shown that having a solar project near residences reduces property
values. He said some mature trees would have to be removed for the project but
that would have to be approved by the Windham Planning Board.
According to Sparrow, there would not be any clear cutting of trees on the project property and a cedar fence would be installed 35 feet from the property line around the solar arrays.
He also told councilors that the project has a 35-year life span and that the solar panels are recyclable, made of tempered glass with components inside encased in silicone in case they were to be damaged during a hurricane.
Engineer Aubrey Strause of Acorn Engineering, Inc. told the council that
that buffer screening plan for the Green Lantern project calls for some trees
at the site to be removed, but a new buffer of young evergreens would be
planted which would grow as the site progressed through the years.
During the meeting, it was also pointed out that the deeding for the
original Mineral Springs Neighborhood Association which Linnell Road is a part
of called for residences to have a 50-foot buffer to the parcel where the solar
project site will be located.
Attorney Elizabeth Buckley who represents another solar project in
Windham told councilors that in order to impose a moratorium, there must be a
necessity for one and she said that Windham already had adequate solar
development controls in place.
Councilors Brett Jones, Nicholas Kalogerakis and William Reiner said
they thought a moratorium would be prudent so the current solar ordinance could
be reviewed and updated as needed.
Windham Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield said a moratorium wasn’t
needed as the town could review the ordinance through its Ordinance Committee and
this issue did not meet the standard of an emergency.
He said each of the councilors had studied the issue, researched, and
spent many hours trying to determine the best solution for everyone concerned.
Maxfield, along with Councilors David Nadeau, Ed Ohmott and Mark Morrison voted against imposing a moratorium, with Councilors William Reiner, Brett Jones and Kalogerakis voting in favor of a moratorium. <
Friday, February 18, 2022
Windham renews contract with Animal Refuge League
The Windham Town Council has unanimously approved the renewal
of a contract for services with the Animal Refuge League for strays and
surrendered pets.
During a meeting of council members on Feb. 8, councilors
voted to renew the contract from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.
In a memo to the council, Windham Town Manager Barry A. Tibbetts said that councilors needed to review the contract as state statutes require municipalities to provide shelter at a state- licensed animal control shelter for stray and lost dogs, cats, and domestic pets that are a problem in the community and undomesticated animals that pose a threat to public health or safety, and requires that the municipality also must provide services relating to the humane disposition of said animals in the event they are not claimed by their owners.
Tibbets briefed councilors that the town has contracted with
the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland for such services since 1990 and
that the rate the town is charged remains unchanged under terms of the new
annual contract.
The Animal Refuge League currently collects and reimburses the
town a $25 impound fee the first time a pet owner claims a lost animal brought
to the shelter by the town animal control officer. A $50 impound fee is imposed
for a second offense and a $100 impound fee is charged for repeated housing of
lost pets.
In 2021, the Animal Refuge League accepted 102 surrendered pets from Windham, including 79 cats, 18 dogs, four rabbits and a goat. Nine pets were returned to the shelter from Windham after adoption including five cats and four dogs. Some 89 stray animals picked up in Windham were housed at the ARL shelter in 2021, including 68 cats and 21 dogs.
Statistics compiled by the Animal Refuge League show that 131
pets were adopted by residents of Windham in the last year. That includes 89
cats, 34 dogs, two rabbits and six other animals.
The shelter also reported that 26 pets were determined to be dead upon arrival at the Animal Refuge League facility after transport there by a town animal control officer. That figure included 20 deceased cats and six deceased dogs.
From its
shelter in Westbrook, the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland provides
temporary care and shelter for stray, abandoned, confiscated, and relinquished
animals, veterinary services, and places as many pets as possible into
responsible and caring homes. It creates awareness and support for the humane
treatment of all animals and strives to end animal overpopulation through
education and the promotion of spaying and neutering.
In addition to animal care services and adoptions, the Animal
Refuge League also offers dog training and hosts humane educations programs
through the year.
Animal control services in Windham are administered by the
Windham Police Department through an annual budget of $73,104. That amount
includes the annual salary for the animal control officer, animal control
unforms, equipment and supplies, and the services provided by the shelter.
Under the terms of the new contract, the town will pay the
Animal Refuge League $26,360.64 or about $1.43 per capita for those shelter
services. That amount is based upon the
total number of residents of the town as determined by the 2020 census and remains
unchanged from the amount charged in the previous annual contract, which expires
June 30. <
Friday, February 11, 2022
WEDC plans role in North Windham infrastructure improvements
The way forward for the Windham Economic Development
Corporation over the next five years is crystal clear and that will focus
squarely on planned North Windham infrastructure improvements, WEDC officials
told the Windham Town Council during a meeting on Tuesday evening.
WEDC Executive Director Tom Bartell and WEDC President Larry
Eliason briefed councilors about the organization’s plans for 2022 and the
years ahead and much of their work will involve interfacing with property
owners and businesses which will be affected by upcoming sewer and road initiatives.
“The sewer project will affect every property and business in North Windham, and we will have to meet one-on-one with each of them,” Bartell said. “It will be a major focus for us over the next four or five years.”
The mission of the WEDC is to encourage economic growth and
development in a manner that supports increased prosperity in Windham and improves
the quality of life for all residents and along with a heavy emphasis on
coordinating the North Windham infrastructure projects, Bartell told councilors
that the organization also hopes to bring new senior affordable housing to the
town.
Bartell said that the WEDC has been working on developing a
partnership between the Town of Windham, the Westbrook Development Corporation,
Age Friendly Windham, and the Windham Economic Development Corporation to
provide high-quality, subsidized affordable housing for seniors.
“It’s been since 2005 that an affordable housing project was built in Windham,” Bartell said. “We have a couple of projects in mind.”
About 1,550 units of market rate housing have been built in
Windham since the last affordable housing project, Little Falls Landing, nearly
17 years ago. Bartell told the council that Windham’s Comprehensive Plan calls
for a level of at least 10 percent of new residential development built or
placed during the next decade to be affordable. The WEDC’s goal is to develop
up to 200 high-quality, subsidized affordable Senior Housing units in up to four
projects in Windham with a projected
completion date of Dec. 31, 2027.
Eliason said that WEDC’s Board of Directors are all volunteers
and hope to continue to be a part of the process of Windham’s ongoing business
climate and economic growth.
According to Bartell, the Downtown North Windham Modernization
Program is a series of public investments leading to a 21st Century Downtown
better suited for increased private development supporting the residents and
businesses of Windham and the Sebago Lakes Region.
WEDC plans to create a maker space for North Windham and is
working on obtaining a Community Development Block Grant to do that. A maker
space is a
collaborative workspace found located in a public or private facility for
making, learning, exploring, and sharing purposes that use evolving technology
for budding entrepreneurs. Maker spaces are open to all ages and have a variety
of maker equipment including 3D printers, laser cutters, machines, and soldering
irons intended to foster new business growth.
“Upcoming public investments in North Windham are a lot, and
we just need to focus on them,” Bartell said.
He said WEDC has been working on bringing more manufacturing
to the town in Windham and the WEDC is looking for a large space to be able to
conduct meetings in North Windham.
Along with public investments, WEDC is encouraging private
investments in the town, Eliason said.
“We do need additional warehouse space from the commercial
side,” he said.
Bartell said WEDC is also hoping to bring more commercial
space to Windham through private investment. That could mean more commercial
space, hotels, professional offices, apartments, increased manufacturing space
and redevelopment of existing space.
The WEDC will host a Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Business Break at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Windham Veterans Center, Bartell said. <
Friday, January 7, 2022
Windham to weigh options to alleviate Route 302 corridor traffic congestion
After decades of having traffic in North Windham
grow to the point of gridlock and daily congestion, the rubber is about to hit
the road for Windham Town Council members seeking a solution to a longstanding
problem.
On Tuesday, councilors will vote to adopt the final report of the North Windham Moves, Regional Mobility, Local Access Transportation Planning and Feasibility Study. Set up last year as a joint venture between the Town of Windham and the Maine Department of Transportation, the study was conducted by Gorrill Palmer and
North Star Planning and is intended to explore how to alleviate congestion and improve safety and mobility in North Windham.
The study focused specifically on making transportation
improvements along Route 302 in North Windham area. It examined the feasibility
of creating local connector roads, access management, and implementing corridor
and intersection improvements for all forms of transportation using the area.
Prior studies dating back to the 1960s have recommended pedestrian, landscaping, and lighting improvements as well as intersection and signal operational improvements. Some of those recommendations were adopted through the years, but heavy traffic during peak travel times continues to cause congestion, motorist delays and accidents.
The study examined building three new local connector roads to improve local access and to address some of the deficiencies along Route 302.
Concept plans and cost estimates for each alternative were generated during the study and evaluators determined that all three proposed connector roads coupled with improvements to the existing roadways will improve local access, regional mobility, corridor safety and will improve bicycle and pedestrian accommodations in North Windham.
The study follows numerous recent efforts to examine traffic problems
experienced in North Windham such as a Service Road Study (2007); Lakes Region Transit Service Study (2011); 21st
Century Downtown Plan (2013); Multi-Modal Route 302 Corridor Plan (2013); Lakes
Region Bus Service Assessment (2014); Town of Windham Complete Streets Policy (2014);
and the Town of Windham Comprehensive Plan (2017).
Last fall, representatives of Gorrill Palmer and North
Star Planning said this study enhances and builds off the good ideas from the
prior studies and developed recommendations that can be supported by the
public, the town council, and the Maine DOT.
Focusing on the area around and north of Boody’s Corner because of its higher intensity
of commercial development, higher traffic volumes, increased levels of
congestion, and a higher level of safety concerns, the study only weighed
creation of connector roads for locations north of Route 35 and Route 115 and
only considered improvements to Route 302 from the River Road intersection up
to the Whites Bridge Road intersection.
Major roads looked at in the study were widened in the past to handle higher
overall traffic volumes. It details that although there are a few smaller
public and private local roads that exist in the area, these are often
dead-end roads or lack the interconnections to make them valuable components of an overall
system beyond the limited direct property access they provide.
Because of that fact, the report indicates that even
most of the short car trips in North Windham involve driving on Route 302 or
other major streets like Abby Road and Northwood Drive, and on private roads
like Franklin Drive, Veterans Memorial Drive, Sandbar Road, Amato Drive, and
Trails End Road.
The study recommends that the town look at creating three distinct connector
roads.
The East Connector Road would build a roadway
beginning at the eastern terminal of Franklin Drive and extending southerly to Route
115. Franklin Drive will also be reconstructed and would serve as a
continuation of the East Connector Road. The combined length of this option is
about 5,100 feet and would include intersection connections with Veterans
Memorial Drive, Sandbar Road and a connection to a realigned Sabbady Point
Road.
The proposed Middle Connector Road would build a
local roadway beginning at the Franklin Drive and Route 302 intersection and
extend southwesterly to Landing Road. The length of this option would be about 700 feet,
and it includes intersection connections with Route 302 and Landing Road. This new connector road intersection with Landing Road would not have a traffic signal but would include geometric improvements
including turn lanes.
A proposed West Connector Road would build a local
roadway beginning at the northerly terminal of Manchester Road and extend
northerly to Whites Bridge Road. In this project, Manchester Road would also be reconstructed and will serve as a continuation of the West Connector Road. The combined length of this option would be about 5,800 feet and includes
intersection connections with Landing Road, Amato Drive, and Trails End Road. The
new connector road intersection with Whites Bridge Road would not have a signal
and includes geometric improvements including turn lanes. The existing intersection between Manchester Road and Route 35 will remain unsignalized but will receive geometric
improvements under the proposal.
The report says that these connector roads are not
intended to serve as bypass routes for regional traffic instead they are
intended for local use and purpose. It suggests that when built, these local
connector roads would provide access to commercial and residential properties
within the area and serve as relief roads from the congested Route 302
corridor.
Report estimates include a cost of $6.4 million to
build a West Connector Road, $5.6 million to build an East Connector Road, and
$2.1 million to build a Middle Connector Road.
The study and subsequent final report also examined
potential property impacts for each connector road option, with total right of
way and property acquisition costs amounting to about $2.692 million.
Adoption of the study does not mean that local,
state or federal funding would be available for any of these proposals, but it
would give the public an indication about how the council intends to address
traffic issues moving forward. <
Plummer to seek return to Maine State Senate
By Ed Pierce
A familiar face has thrown his hat in the ring to succeed Bill
Diamond in representing Windham in the Maine State Senate.
Republican Gary Plummer has announced his intention to
campaign for Windham’s District 26 Senate seat this fall to replace incumbent
Democrat Sen. Bill Diamond, who is term limited. Plummer has extensive
experience serving in the Maine Legislature, including as a state representative
and a state senator.
A 1964 graduate of Windham High School, Plummer says he first became
interested in politics while attending Dirigo Boys State as a high school
junior in 1963. After graduation, he went on to earn a degree in education from
Gorham State Teachers College and spent 13 years teaching in Standish before joining
Manchester School as an elementary school teacher in 1982.
Plummer was asked by his former biology teacher at Windham
High, Bob Hunt, to help serve on a committee examining if Windham should
establish its own police force in the mid-1970s and it gave him insight into
the workings of town government.
That knowledge expanded further when a referendum converting
Windham government to the Council-Town Manager system was passed by voters. Hunt
suggested to Plummer that he should run for town council, and he was elected to
a council seat in November 1974.
“I loved being a town councilor,” Plummer said. “I liked
building and creating the town government we know today. I cast the deciding
vote breaking a 3-3 tie to create the Windham Police Department. But after
serving eight years on the council things became more routine and the
excitement of doing something new started to go away.”
He then ran for Cumberland County Commission and was elected
for several four-year terms as a county commissioner.
“It was an enjoyable experience, and I learned a great deal
about public safety,” Plummer said. “During my time as a commissioner, we
helped transition the position of corrections officer to a career rather than
just be a stepping stone to other law enforcement positions.”
His friend, State Rep. David Tobin of Windham, informed
Plummer that he would not be running for re-election and Plummer, who had
retired as a teacher by then, campaigned and won election as State
Representative for Windham in 2004, serving eight years in that role before
running and serving one term as Windham’s state senator from 2012 to 2014.
“It was an honor I never took lightly,” Plummer said. “It was
a steep learning curve at first. Going from dealing with issues in town
government to the politics in Augusta was challenging. My first term was an
eye-opening experience. I didn’t expect everything to be so political. But I
learned to work with people to get things done.”
Plummer says his willingness to work with others to accomplish
legislation that benefits the residents of Windham and everyone in Maine is
needed in Augusta and having someone with experience is critical right now.
“I can work with just about everyone,” Plummer said.
District 26 has been redrawn by the Maine Legislature and now
encompasses Casco, Frye Island, Windham, Raymond, and now a portion of
Westbrook. Currently no other challengers have stepped forward to run for the
Republican nomination for the state senate seat, but if there is, a primary
election will be conducted in June.
He lives in Windham with his wife Betty in a home his
grandparents built on land they bought in 1910. His first wife died and between
them, he and Betty have four children, five grandchildren and a
great-grandchild.
His interests include antique automobiles and Plummer is the
proud owner of 1965 Ford Mustang and a 1949 Ford F-150 pickup truck, close to
the one he learned to drive on as a teen in his father’s hayfield.
“I like just about anything regarding history,” he said. “I
volunteer with the Windham Historical Society and helped to establish the
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program.”
Plummer said that he has spoken with Diamond about continuing
to champion child welfare issues in the state and if elected, he would also
focus on resolving domestic violence issues in Maine.
“A lot needs to be done,” he said. “I am also looking to help
address the drug issues in our state and making sure the right individuals are
chosen to serve as school resource officers.” <